Bit Error Rate Patents (Class 398/27)
  • Patent number: 7716539
    Abstract: Disclosed is serial communication control system including: a first microcomputer; and a second microcomputer connected to the first microcomputer through a serial line, wherein the second microcomputer includes an R/B signal sending section to send one of a READY signal and a BUSY signal, the first microcomputer includes an R/B signal receiving section to receive the signal, and a first sending section to send first serial data to the second microcomputer when the R/B signal receiving section receives the READY signal, the second microcomputer includes a first receiving section to receive the first serial data, and a second sending section to send second serial data after the receiving operation of the first serial data by the first receiving section is completed and the R/B signal sending section thereafter sends the BUSY signal, and the first microcomputer includes a second receiving section to receive the second serial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiko Arashi
  • Patent number: 7698039
    Abstract: The present invention makes improvements in a mobile communication system that performs a communication via a communication network provided in a mobile body to execute a data transfer. The present system comprises a plurality of nodes, a path control device which receives data from the nodes respectively, selects a path for the data transfer on the communication network, and outputs the data, first optical fibers which connect each of the nodes and the path control device and transfer the data, and second optical fibers provided in parallel with the first optical fibers. In the present system, the path control device communicates with the node via the second optical fiber when a failure occurs in the first optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Uchida, Akira Nagashima, Akira Miura, Chie Sato
  • Patent number: 7684697
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical signal quality monitoring circuit and an optical signal quality monitoring method for measuring correct optical signal quality parameters when a signal bit rate is changed. The optical signal quality monitoring circuit which samples and converts an electrical signal converted from an optical signal with a given repeated frequency f1 to digital sampling data through an analog to digital conversion, thereafter, evaluates an optical signal quality parameter of the optical signal by subjecting sampling data to electrical signal processing in an integrated circuit in which a signal processing function is programmed, receives a control signal notifying that the bit rate of the optical signal is changed, or detects that the bit rate of the optical signal is changed to correct optical the signal quality parameter of the optical signal corresponding to the signal bit rate of the optical signal which is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Ippei Shake, Hidehiko Takara, Atsushi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7684698
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling power in a communications network are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises reading a power level of a communication link; and, driving an attenuation control signal based on the power level of the communication link. When the power level is greater than or equal to a minimum supported power level, driving an attenuation control signal further comprises constraining the attenuation control signal to a calibrated range of a characteristic curve. When one or both of the power level is less than the minimum supported power level and a bit error rate is greater than a maximum error threshold, driving an attenuation control signal further comprises generating an attenuation control signal outside the calibrated range of the characteristic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Stuart, Paul Schatz, Ana Santos
  • Patent number: 7680412
    Abstract: A method and device for determining in-band noise of an optical signal. The optical signal is split to produce two optical signal components, of distinct polarisation, such that the respective noise component in each signal component is uncorrelated. The optical signal components are converted to the electrical domain to produce electrical signal components. The signal component powers are equalised either in the optical domain or the electrical domain. The equalised electrical signal components are then subtracted together to cancel the correlated portions of the signal components (e.g. the data signal), such that only uncorrelated signal components (e.g. noise) are output for measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: National ICT Australia Limited
    Inventors: Trevor Anderson, Sarah Dods
  • Publication number: 20100046943
    Abstract: An optical communication apparatus that includes multiple optically communicative components positioned optically in series. Some of the optically communicative components may be optical fiber segments of perhaps different types. The optical channel represented by the series of optically communicative components and approximates a transfer function of an optical channel of a longer optical fiber. Accordingly, rather than deal with a lengthy optical fiber, an apparatus having a shorter optical channel may be used instead. The construction of the optical communicative components may be calculating an input transfer function. The construction would include an ordering of discrete optically communicative components that, when placed optically in series, simulates an estimation of a particular transfer function. Testing may then occur by actually passing an optical signal through the series construction of optically communicative components, rather than through the longer optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Gayle L. Noble, Lucy G. Hosking, Luke M. Ekkizogloy
  • Publication number: 20100021158
    Abstract: A subscriber terminating unit includes an error count counting portion counting an error count in a predetermined time range based on the number of corrections by an error correction function and an error count transmitting portion transmitting the error count to an office terminating unit. The office terminating unit includes an error count receiving portion receiving the error count from the subscriber terminating unit as a received error count and a correction method determining portion determining, based on the received error count, an error correction method or an error correction disuse which is used in the subscriber terminating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: YOSHINORI KANNO, Ken Shiraishi, Sadaichiro Ogushi
  • Patent number: 7636524
    Abstract: A timing jitter measurement system and method is provided that acquires the timing jitter in an all-optical fashion, by extracting the timing jitter probability distribution function using auto-correlation and cross-correlation data. This makes the system and method of the present invention particularly useful for ultra-high bit rates, where power spectrum analysis cannot be applied. The resolution of the timing jitter measurement system and method is higher than the actual pulse width, and depends on the time resolution of the correlator. The system and method of the present invention facilitates the identification of deterministic or random timing jitters or combinations thereof, and therefore can be used to identify the origins of timing jitters within the optical network and to provide feedback to the optical network that can be used to actively control the timing jitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
    Inventors: Jochen Karl Walter Dorring, Yung Jui Chen
  • Patent number: 7634194
    Abstract: The present invention provides multi-channel protection switching systems and methods for increased reliability and reduced cost. Advantageously, the multi-channel protection switching systems and methods of the present invention use pre-FEC rate measurements, and changes in pre-FEC rate measurements, to detect and avoid potential link failures before they occur. The multi-channel protection switching systems and methods of the present invention also use “wavelength-hopping” and other protection schemes to alleviate wavelength and time-dependent optical propagation impairments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Y. Frankel, Balakrishnan Sridhar
  • Publication number: 20090304380
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing optical network quality using bit error rate and chromatic dispersion. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes the provision of quality of service in a wavelength division multiplexing optical network that supports a plurality of bit rates. As part of this method, the cumulative noise and cumulative chromatic dispersion for each available path as a whole is determined, where an available path is a series of two or more nodes each connected by an optical link on which a set of wavelengths is available for establishing a lightpath. In addition, different grades of path quality are distinguished based on bit error rate (BER), where BER is based on cumulative noise and bit rate. Furthermore, a minimum path quality is required based on chromatic dispersion decibel penalty, where chromatic dispersion decibel penalty is based on cumulative chromatic dispersion and bit rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Santosh Kumar Sadananda, Christopher M. Look, Jeffery J. Maki
  • Patent number: 7616888
    Abstract: A system for measuring properties of a medium includes an electromagnetic generator for forming a CW carrier, a digital encoder for forming a digital message, and a modulator for modulating the CW carrier with the digital message to form a digitally modulated CW carrier. The medium provides a channel for propagating the digitally modulated CW carrier. The system further includes a receiver configured to receive the propagated, digitally modulated CW carrier, and a processor for measuring at least one property of the medium. The medium may be disposed within a gaseous atmosphere, a body of water, or a cell of a laboratory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Nelson Mendenhall, Michael E. Dobbs, Benjamin R. Neff, James Alexander McAdoo
  • Patent number: 7613959
    Abstract: A data receiving apparatus of a PCI Express system includes a receiving device, an 8B10B decoder, a forged packet removing device, and a descrambling circuit. The forged packet removing device determines whether a disparity error occurs; and an offset removing circuit compensates a number of cycles of the lane offset. The data receiving apparatus is capable of eliminating error packet caused by framing error and preventing the problem of symbol disorder and disconnection caused by set ordered noise. Furthermore, the data receiving apparatus is also capable of removing offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: VIA Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Tseng
  • Patent number: 7613393
    Abstract: A transceiver module having integrated eye diagram opening functionality for reducing jitter is described. The transceiver module may include a transmitter eye opener and a receiver eye opener integrated in single circuit. The transceiver module may also include serial control and various other integrated components. Other functionalities that may be integrated on the transceiver module include loopback modules, bypass features, bit error rate testing, and power down modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Lewis B. Aronson, Rudy Hofmeister, Christopher Madden, Mark Farley, Dan Case, Tom Lenosky
  • Publication number: 20090269056
    Abstract: A system (50) includes a communication path (170) and transmits data on a network (103, 106). A transmitter (101) transmits data on the network and a receiver (112) receives data from the network. A component (102, 114) in the communication path has a transfer characteristic (C1, C2, C3) adjusted in response to errors in data transmitted over and received from the network in order to reduce the error rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nong Fan, Tuan Hoang, Hongtao Jiang, Keh-Chee Jen
  • Publication number: 20090269055
    Abstract: An algorithm is disclosed for performing channel balancing on channels between optical network elements within an optic-fiber communications system. The algorithm groups at least a portion of the channels into channel pairs, differentially adjusts the transmitter output power level of each of the channel pairs until the bit error ratio (BER) of at least one channel in each of the channel pairs exceeds a threshold, and records a respective power margin for each of the channels as the difference between the initial and final power levels. From the recorded power margins, a mean power margin is determined that is used to shift the transmitter output power level of each of the channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: ALCATEL LUCENT
    Inventors: David Butler, Carlton Brown
  • Patent number: 7609981
    Abstract: Techniques to control an optical receiver having a control loop using Bit Error Rate (BER). In one implementation, a bit error rate (BER) associated with a received optical signal is determined. Indication of the BER to a control loop adapted is provided to adjust the optical signal in a manner tending to reduce the BER. The received optical signal is adapted in a manner tending to increase the BER such that the control loop operates within an active control region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Benz, Siegfried Gronbach, Roland Seitz
  • Patent number: 7606487
    Abstract: The distortion component of an optical signal received from an optical transmission system, such as an all-optical system, subject to noise and amplitude distortion components, can be evaluated by a method that utilises information derived from analysing the bit error ratio (BER) of the signal as a function of a movable threshold. The analysis is performed in high and low bit error ratio areas of the eye diagram used for data one/zero decision making. The intersections with the threshold axis (where BER=0.25) of extrapolations of the high and low bit error ratio values provide variables V1 and V2 which are divided (V1/V2) to obtain an estimate/prediction of the amplitude closure of the eye diagram resulting from amplitude distortion. The analysis is preferably carried out after Q conversion of the BER values. The method can also be extended to provide indications of Q, bit error ratio and optical signal-to-noise ratio within the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Peter J Anslow, Richard W Heath
  • Patent number: 7599618
    Abstract: A method of self-testing includes transmitting a plurality of self-test signals and receiving the plurality of self-test signals. In addition, the method includes storing the received self-test signal in a first database; and comparing the received self-test signal with data from a second database. An self-testing apparatus and a method of for assuring substantially continued calibrated function of a testing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Circadiant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Malcolm Adam, William Joseph Thompson, Darren Leonard Winslow
  • Patent number: 7593648
    Abstract: A method and system for high bit rate fiber-optic communications utilize a wavelength tunable transmitter controlled by a feedback signal from an error analyzer associated with a received optical data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Lutz Raddatz
  • Patent number: 7583753
    Abstract: A method of transmitting data can include pre-emphasizing data for transmission by a transmitter over a transmission line based on an error feedback signal provided to the transmitter from a receiver of the pre-emphasized data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20090196602
    Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems to provide adjustable bit rate optical transmission using programmable signal modulation in optical communication systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Ross Saunders, Roberto Marcoccia, Steven Keck, Theodore J. Schmidt, Christian Malouin
  • Patent number: 7561795
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for protecting an optical telecommunication network against possible failures and signal degrades, the network comprising at least two nodes; working resources and protecting resources connecting the nodes; a first protection mechanism operating at a first protection layer; and a second protection mechanism operating at a second protection layer, characterized by a) the step, carried out by a node detecting a failure that could be managed by said first mechanism, of sending downstream an in-band Forward Protection Indication signalling in order to instruct the second protection mechanism not to operate, or b) the step, carried out by a node detecting a Bit Error Rate between a certain range, of sending downstream an in-band Link Degradation Indication signalling in order to instruct the second protection mechanism to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Vittorio Mascolo, Virgilio Miriello
  • Patent number: 7555214
    Abstract: A method of managing forward error correction (FEC) initialization and auto-negotiation in ethernet passive optical networks includes receiving FEC data from an optical network unit (ONU 105), and the optical line terminal (OLT 103) responds to the ONU with FEC data. Upon receiving data not forward error corrected from an ONU. The OLT responds with data not coded for FEC (203). Similarly, upon receiving forward error corrected data from the OLT, the ONU responds with forward error corrected data (503); and upon receiving data not forward error corrected from the OLT, the ONU responds with data not forward error corrected (203). The communications quality from the ONU is monitored (501), if the communications quality is not sufficient, the OLT transmits forward error corrected data to the ONU; otherwise, the OLT transmits non-FEC data to the ONU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra Israel Ltd.
    Inventor: Lior Khermosh
  • Patent number: 7551816
    Abstract: An arrangement provides low cost path protection in an optical communications network. The arrangement has a portion 3 that provides (broadcasts) an outbound optical signal, and at least first and second transmitting portions 202, 206 transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways 231, 232. Meanwhile, a selection arrangement 204 selects among plural incoming optical signals (via 1, 5) according to a SELECT control signal 228 to provide a selected signal, and an analyzer 222 analyzes characteristics of the selected signal to provide the SELECT control signal 228.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Martin Birk, Angela Lan Chiu, John L. Strand
  • Patent number: 7548692
    Abstract: A system (50) includes a communication path (170) and transmits data on a network (103, 106). A transmitter (101) transmits data on the network and a receiver (112) receives data from the network. A component (102, 114) in the communication path has a transfer characteristic (C1, C2, C3) adjusted in response to errors in data transmitted over and received from the network in order to reduce the error rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Nong Fan, Tuan Hoang, Hongtao Jiang, Keh-Chee Jen
  • Publication number: 20090123147
    Abstract: The present invention relates to test equipment (e.g. TBERD 8000) with two or more Tunable Lasers (TL) for testing the complete spectrum of a DWDM system. Diagnostic software is used to stepwise tune a TL to a specific wavelength under test and simultaneously insert one or more distortion wavelengths while executing bit error and impairment tests on the wavelength under test. Information from these tests is correlated to create a combined DWDM network test report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: ACTERNA LLC
    Inventors: Hans-Joerg Wolf, Andrew Mark Saunders
  • Patent number: 7532818
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a coherence sampling quality-factor (Q-factor) are provided, which are used to monitor quality of an optical signal in an optical network in real time. The quality is evaluated by a Q-factor. A laser diode and a wavelength converter are used in the apparatus to achieve wavelength coherence and amplification of the optical signal. Furthermore, the laser diode and an optical switch are used together to obtain an optical pulse that can be utilized to sample the optical signal. Therefore, after entering into an optoelectronic converter, a baseband signal in the optical signal is reconstructed through the amplification of the optical signal and the coupling of the optical pulse, so as to detect the Q-factor and to monitor the quality of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Dar-Zu Hsu, San-Liang Lee
  • Patent number: 7522835
    Abstract: In a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication system having optical transmitters and receivers communicating via a optical channels, the bit error rate (BER) for the optical channels is tested simultaneously by performing a BER measurement for the cascaded chain. A BER test signal is supplied from a BER tester to a first optical transmitter. The BER test signal passes through the optical channels. The last optical receiver in the cascaded chain supplies the test signal to the BER tester measure the BER. The measured BER is compared to a predetermined system BER threshold to determine if the optical channels meet their specified BER values. Each optical transmitter and receiver includes a performance monitoring circuit that monitors the quality of the BER signal supplied to the optical transmitter/receiver for identifying one or more optical channels that the measured BER exceeds a predetermined system BER threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Jarod Guertin, Michael J. Ransford
  • Publication number: 20090060497
    Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems for optical communications that use feedback controlled locking of optical channel signals in optical receivers in WDM communication systems, including ultra dense WDM systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Winston I. Way
  • Publication number: 20090028555
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for filtering an optical signal by wavelength. An initially polarised signal is passed through a DGD element effective to alter the polarisation state of the components of the signal according to wavelength. A polarisation filter (polariser) is then provided to attenuate light having given polarisation states from the signal, thereby attenuating the wavelengths associated with said polarisation states. The invention finds particularly utility in the domain of vestigial sideband filtering, allowing the bandwidth of signals within a wavelength division multiplexed system to be reduced without introducing the deleterious effects associated with conventional wavelength filters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: AZEA NETWORKS LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen WEBB, Stephen DESBRUSLAIS, Richard OBERLAND, John ELLISON
  • Patent number: 7477847
    Abstract: Optical transceivers have loopback and pass-through paths for diagnosing transceiver components and optical networks connected to the optical transceiver or for routing data out of the transceiver in a pass-through mode. The loopback paths are selectively configured so that a selected number of the components in the transceiver are included in the loopback path. Where more than one loopback path is present, a network administrator can select which components will be included in a particular test so that, depending on whether a signal is returned on the loopback path as intended, the network administrator can determine which components are operating correctly and which are faulty. The loopbacks can be configured to run on the electrical side of the transceiver from input port to output port or on the optical side from receiver to transmitter. The pass-through paths can be used to connect the transceiver to other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Rudolf J. Hofmeister, Greta Light
  • Patent number: 7460792
    Abstract: In an optical communication-use receiving circuit of the present invention, the pulse width of the received pulse which is a binary signal corresponding to the signal optical pulse is specified by using an integration circuit and a trigger generating circuit. If the pulse width of the received pulse is not shorter than a predetermined value, a signal having a fixed pulse width is outputted as an output signal from a one-shot pulse generating circuit, so that a pulse having a constant pulse width corresponding to the specified communication speed is outputted. Accordingly, if the pulse width deriving from the signal optical pulse is larger than a certain value, the communication is deemed as a low-speed communication, and a pulse having a constant pulse width corresponding to the communication speed is outputted. As a result, it is possible to realize a small-size receiving circuit and a small-size electronic device which require no external switching-over terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naruichi Yokogawa, Takeshi Nishino
  • Patent number: 7457542
    Abstract: An optical access network system having a function of correcting upstream signal waveform distortions occurring in the PON section, wherein a central office side apparatus comprises a main controller to notify each subscriber connection apparatus of a transmission grant period, an equalizer of a tap gain adaptive control type to correct waveform distortions of signals received from the subscriber connection apparatuses, an equalizer controller, and a parameter table for storing, for each subscriber connection apparatus, the initial values of tap gains to be set for the equalizer. The main controller issues a switchover request for switching the equalization characteristic to the equalizer controller each time notifying a subscriber connection apparatus of a transmission grant period, and the equalizer controller retrieves the initial values of the tap gains for the subscriber connection apparatus from the parameter table in response to the switchover request, and sets these values to the equalizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Communication Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenro Sekine, Nobuaki Tajimi
  • Publication number: 20080285970
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical signal quality monitoring circuit and an optical signal quality monitoring method for measuring correct optical signal quality parameters when a signal bit rate is changed. The optical signal quality monitoring circuit which samples and converts an electrical signal converted from an optical signal with a given repeated frequency f1 to digital sampling data through an analog to digital conversion, thereafter, evaluates an optical signal quality parameter of the optical signal by subjecting sampling data to electrical signal processing in an integrated circuit in which a signal processing function is programmed, receives a control signal notifying that the bit rate of the optical signal is changed, or detects that the bit rate of the optical signal is changed to correct optical the signal quality parameter of the optical signal corresponding to the signal bit rate of the optical signal which is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Ippei Shake, Hidehiko Takara, Atsushi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7454138
    Abstract: Span information (information about conditions of a path between a node of interest and another, adjacent node connected thereto) retained in respective nodes is cumulatively transmitted from a add-drop node, which is to become a starting-point node of a certain wavelength path, toward a add-drop node, which is to become an end-point node of the wavelength path. The end-point node autonomously determines a path satisfying predetermined transmission conditions as an optimal pathway of said wavelength path, on the basis of cumulative span information transmitted over the respective plural pathways from the starting-point node to the node of interest. As a result, a load imposed on line design to be performed by a client can be mitigated, and an optimization design for each path (wavelength) matching a mesh-type optical network can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasuko Nozu
  • Publication number: 20080267622
    Abstract: Transport network interfaces operate to transport for Optical Transport Unit frames over an Optical Transport Network. Besides FEC bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames, the transmitting transport network interface provides sequences of error-determining bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames sent on working and protection communications channels. There is at least one sequence for each Optical Transport Unit frame, the number of bits in the at least one sequence much smaller than the number of bits in the Optical Transport Unit frame. The receiving transport network interface determines the bit error rates for the working and protection channels from the sequences of error-determining bits without decoding said Forward Error Correction bits and can select the working and protection channels accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Gilberto Loprieno
  • Publication number: 20080260378
    Abstract: A method of managing forward error correction (FEC) initialization and auto-negotiation in ethernet passive optical networks includes receiving FEC data from an optical network unit (ONU 105), and the optical line terminal (OLT 103) responds to the ONU with FEC data. Upon receiving data not forward error corrected from an ONU. The OLT responds with data not coded for FEC (203). Similarly, upon receiving forward error corrected data from the OLT, the ONU responds with forward error corrected data (503); and upon receiving data not forward error corrected from the OLT, the ONU responds with data not forward error corrected (203). The communications quality from the ONU is monitored (501), if the communications quality is not sufficient, the OLT transmits forward error corrected data to the ONU; otherwise, the OLT transmits non-FEC data to the ONU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Lior Khermosh
  • Patent number: 7437083
    Abstract: A wavelength converter for binary optical signals includes an interferometer structure (110) for generating an output signal by modulating a received local signal (LS) according to the modulation of a fUrther received first input signal (IS 1). When such interferometer structures (110) are operated in a standard mode it is known in the art to control the power of the input signal such that the extinction ratio of the output signal is kept minimal. The invention also controls the power of the input signals to achieve the minimal extinction ratio when the wavelength converter and in particular the interferometer structure (110) is operated in a differential mode receiving two input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Bruno Lavigne, Olivier Leclerc, Jean-Luc Moncelet, Alex Bombrun, Jean-Baptiste Pomet, Fabien Seyfert
  • Publication number: 20080232796
    Abstract: An optical signal monitoring system includes a bit rate information collecting unit and a monitoring unit. The bit rate information collecting unit gets bit rate information indicating a bit rate of an optical signal passing through an optical communication path. The monitoring unit extracts a monitoring optical signal from the optical communication path. When the bit rate information is not able to get, the monitoring optical signal is judged to be a noise. This system can make a sharp distinction between a broad optical signal whose bit rate is over 40 Gbit/sec and the ASE noise. Further, this system can correct optical signals dependently to those bit rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: BAKU KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 7426347
    Abstract: An apparatus for shared optical performance monitoring (OPM) is provided. A wavelength sensitive device receives light at an input port and routes it wavelength selectively to a set of output ports. To perform optical performance monitoring on the output ports, a monitoring component of each output signal is extracted, and these monitoring components are then combined. A single OPM function is then performed on the combined signal. However, with knowledge of the wavelengths that were included in each output signal, a virtual OPM function can be realized for each output port. The per port functionality can include total power per port, power per wavelength per port, variable optical attentuation, dynamic gain equalization, the latter two examples requiring feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Hnatiw, Sheldon Walklin, Thomas Ducellier
  • Patent number: 7424221
    Abstract: An optical network terminal, which includes an optical transmitter, monitors the status of the optical transmitter, such as the output or the power consumption of the optical transmitter, to determine when the optical transmitter is illegally transmitting. When an illegal transmission is detected, the optical network terminal removes power from the optical transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Tellabs Petaluma, Inc.
    Inventors: Clayton J. Emery, Richard B. Joerger
  • Patent number: 7418212
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting digital symbols carried in a received optical signal. The system comprises a functional element operative to receive a stream of samples of an electrical signal derived from the received optical signal and to evaluate a non-linear function of each received sample, thereby to produce a stream of processed samples. The system also comprises a detector operative to render decisions about individual symbols present in the received optical signal on the basis of the stream of processed samples. In an embodiment, the non-linear function computes substantially the square root of each received sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventor: Chandra Bontu
  • Patent number: 7415213
    Abstract: An optical receiver having compensation for signal level transients. The receiver includes an OE converter, a transient threshold compensator, a threshold combiner and a CDR system. The OE converter receives the incoming optical signal and provides a modulated electrical signal having a high speed response for tracking the modulation on the optical signal and an averaged electrical signal having a moderate speed response for tracking changes in the average level of the optical signal. The transient threshold compensator processes the averaged electrical signal for providing a transient feedforward adjustment. The threshold combiner combines the transient feedforward adjustment with a lower speed BER feedback threshold adjustment for providing a decision threshold signal. The CDR system uses the decision threshold signal for recovering a clock, providing the BER feedback threshold adjustment, and estimating the data carried by the modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Stratalight Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Wang
  • Patent number: 7400829
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus that receives an optical signal by selecting any one of a plurality of provided optical signal transmission paths through protection control is configured to include a plurality of optical signal outputting sections that output the optical signals transmitted through said optical signal transmission paths respectively as optical signals having wavelengths that are different from each other, a wavelength selective optical switch capable of selectively outputting light of a wavelength corresponding to any one of the optical signals coming from the optical signal outputting sections on the basis of the frequency of a controlling frequency signal, and an optical switch controlling section that supplies said controlling frequency signal to the wavelength selective optical switch so as to output the optical signal coming from the optical signal transmission path side that is selected by said protection control among the optical signals coming from the optical signal outputting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7389049
    Abstract: The dispersion monitoring device of the present invention detects a change in dispersion caused in a system by performing the decision process of a received signal using a data flip-flop in which required decision phase and decision threshold are set, averaging the output signal of the data flip-flop using an integration circuit and determining a received waveform, based on a change in a level of an output signal from the integration circuit. In another preferred embodiment, a signal is inputted to a chromatic dispersion change sign monitor. If a chirping parameter is correctly set, residual chromatic dispersion shifts in the negative direction when the peak value of a received signal is large, and it shifts in the positive direction when the peak value of a received signal is small. Using this fact, optimum dispersion compensation is conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tomoo Takahara, Hiroki Ooi, George Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7389018
    Abstract: An arrangement provides low cost path protection in an optical communications network. The arrangement has a portion 3 that provides (broadcasts) an outbound optical signal, and at least first and second transmitting portions 202, 206 transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways 231, 232. Meanwhile, a selection arrangement 204 selects among plural incoming optical signals (via 1, 5) according to a SELECT control signal 228 to provide a selected signal, and an analyzer 222 analyzes characteristics of the selected signal to provide the SELECT control signal 228.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Martin Birk, Angela Lan Chiu, John L. Strand
  • Patent number: 7386231
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing network data signals in an optical wavelength division multiplexing network employ an optical wavelength division multiplexing function and a network analysis function to analyze the optical spectrum and extract from and insert data signals into a wavelength division multiplexing network for data signal analysis by the network analysis function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Sunrise Telecom Incorporated
    Inventors: Frederick Gordon King, Patrick Riley
  • Patent number: 7376359
    Abstract: The invention discloses a digital adjusting method for an optical receiver module, and the method implements real-time monitor of parameters, on-line adjustment and non-linear compensation. The digital optical receiver module includes elements as follow: a voltage output circuit of optical power detection 24, a DC/DC voltage boost circuit 22 and a bias voltage adjusting unit which is consisted of an optical-electronic conversion circuit 21; a digital adjusting unit 25, an analog-digital converter (A/D converter) 26 and a memory 27. The digital adjusting unit 25 makes on-line adjustment and implements temperature compensation and dark current compensation of the optical receiver module. The A/D converter 26 monitors the optical power, the working temperature and the bias voltage of the optical detector in real time. The memory 27 stores parameters of the optical receiver module for comparison with a detected optical power and measured temperature etc. and for on-line interrogation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhenyu Tang
  • Patent number: 7369777
    Abstract: A dispersion compensator is provided that includes an input port 102 for receiving a WDM optical signal and a dispersion compensating element 110 coupled to the input port for substantially compensating the WDM optical signal for dispersion that has accumulated along an external transmission path. The dispersion compensator also includes an output port 104 for directing the dispersion compensated WDM optical signal to an external element and a dynamic power controller 106, 108, 112, 114, 116 for maintaining a total power of the WDM signal below a prescribed level prior to receipt of the WDM optical signal by the dispersion compensating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Chandra Sekhar Jasti, Hermann Gysel, Mani Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 7369770
    Abstract: To optimize the resources of an optical transmission network using wavelength division multiplexing, assigning carrier frequencies to signals to be transmitted consists in associating N sets of optical frequencies of the comb with N respective ranges of consecutive error rate values, each of the sets comprising frequencies generating a mean error rate in the associated range, defining a measured signal transmission constraint level that is a function of the transmission constraint parameter(s) and may take N distinct values referred to as constraint values, associating the N constraint values in increasing order respectively with the N sets of frequencies in decreasing order of the error rate values of the associated N ranges, assigning any signal to be transmitted a constraint value obtained by applying the measurement, and assigning the signal to be transmitted a carrier frequency belonging to one of the sets of frequencies that is associated with a constraint value at least equal to the constraint value as
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Denis Penninckx, Gabriel Charlet, Ludovic Noirie